www.realkidshades.com
When it comes to their kids, parents can’t help but worry about…everything, really. Real Kids Shades give parents one less thing to worry about: sun damage to precious little eyes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children’s eyes are at increased risk for permanent damage from sunlight until they are at least ten years old, which is why Gearzilla collected ten kids, ages two to ten, and floated them on rafts and in kayaks (and on a paddleboard) for three sunny September days down the San Juan River in Utah with their parents.  We fitted each kid with a pair of Real Kids Shades, six models in all, and watched the kids be kids, some wearing their first pair of sunglasses. And, kids being kids, durable shades are important. All Real Kids Shades are made with shatterproof, impact-resistant polycarbonate frames and lenses that are boast 100 percent UVA and UVB protection. Getting the kids to wear the shades was the first expected obstacle, but all but one child put on and kept on the shades. The sunglasses good looks were important to the older kids, while the pink color won over a four year old.  More importantly, however? The good fit. Real Kids Shades with their patented Stay-Put-Power stay on, are soft and adjustable, with wrap-around frames that minimize exposure to peripheral light. Older kids did let their shades slip to foreheads and around necks, on occasion, but no pairs were lost on this trip, which was also an expected obstacle; instead, the kids took pride in having their very own sunglasses. That, and the adjustable neoprene straps that keep overboard shades on the surface helped keep the sunglasses in place, on eyes, foreheads, and around necks. One parent did say that the neoprene strap could be a bit longer to help tighten the shades to her three-year-old. But both kids and parents gave overall high scores.
–Jan Nesset
Pictured: Xtreme Sport Black with Blue